Manganese English name is Rhodochrosite, derived from the Greek Rhodokhros, meaning "with a rose", named in 1800. Its chemical composition of manganese carbonate (MnCO 3 ), has a unique color, is one of the most desirable collection of minerals. While it can serve as a manganese ore, but more is still being used for jewelry and specimen collection show.

Rhodochrosite crystals typically rhombohedral, scalenohedron relatively rare. In aggregate form, will form a pretty pink and white stripes spaced, so the jewelry industry is treated as semi-precious stones for cutting. Rhodochrosite often carved statues, bell emulsion made of rhodochrosite often sliced, sometimes made of transparent crystal facets, but rhodochrosite softer texture and brittle that it can not be used as a daily wear gems .

According to the color of rhodochrosite is not difficult to identify, except for some minerals have similar colors, such as rhodonite. Rhodonite than rhodochrosite hard, cleavage is different, but the distinction is easier: Rhodonite does not react with the acid, and rhodochrosite can and cold acid. Most red roses - pink carbonate is considered rhodochrosite, of course, because some contain small amounts of calcite and showing pink manganese (Mn calcite, calcite calcium in part replaced by manganese). The difference between manganese calcite and rhodochrosite is fluorescent, rhodochrosite no fluorescence phenomenon, and there is manganese calcite (calcite manganese is one of the active element generates fluorescence).

There are many rhodochrosite origin of the world, most notably to the number of US Colorado mine a sweet house. From here began in the 1960s have been discovered over the world's best and largest rhodochrosite, which in 1992 found Alma King (above) has a 15 cm single crystal, and has rhodochrosite best feature: the classic rhombohedral shape and bright red color roses. Mine has been closed due to sweet house, high-quality rhodochrosite also very popular, and now houses Ling sweet manganese market prices have been very high.